Schleswig-Holstein

Pears, beans and bacon, herring and corned beef stew, and kale are typical of this region, and there are some gastronomic highlights as well, especially on Sylt, in Glücksburg and around the Hanseatic town of Lübeck. The North Sea island of Sylt has the highest number of top-flight restaurants per square kilometre in Germany. With more than 20 highly rated restaurants and a length of just 38km, Sylt is a gourmet food paradise.

Buddenbrooks Restaurant

Christian Scharrer is the culinary mastermind at Buddenbrooks Restaurant at Grand Spa Resort A-ROSA Travemünde. Creating light, contemporary cuisine in the heart of one of the most delightful resorts on the Baltic coast, he consistently brings off a harmonious symbiosis between the finest flavours and first-class ingredients.

Head chef Bodo Lööck, who is from the local area, is devoted to elevating regional food to a higher plane and offers his guests unforgettable culinary delights. Lööck has been creating refined, north German cuisine using fresh, seasonal produce and flavours from around the world since 1998 and staunchly advocates his own 'rational & responsible' approach to food. His 'wellness for the tastebuds' is served in both the traditional Krugwirtschaft and the Privileg gourmet restaurant.

The five-star-superior Landhaus Stricker is one of the finest hotels on Sylt. A member of the famous Relais & Châteaux hotel collection, it combines luxury and exclusivity with discreet and individual service. In terms of dining, it offers everything the culinary heart could desire. Guests may choose between Restaurant Stricker, which puts the focus on herbs, and Bodendorf's gourmet restaurant where Holger Bodendorf is chef de cuisine. The 700m² Roman-mediterranean spa offers complete relaxation after a round of golf or a walk along the beach.

In his own gourmet restaurant, Jörg Müller gives free rein to his award-winning creativity. His guests can look forward to a very confident, vibrant style of cooking inspired by the finest south-west German traditions as well as the regional influences of his new home. This ever-exciting gastronomic experience is complemented by a superlative wine list and an ambience that epitomises the genteel elegance so highly prized by Sylt aficionados.

Michelin-starred chef Johannes King offers fine cuisine in an exceptional setting beside the North Sea, at Hotel Söl'ring Hof on the Rantum dunes on the island of Sylt. At the forty-cover Restaurant Söl'ring Hof, diners can see into the country house kitchen whilst enjoying delicious creations prepared by Johannes King and his team. The food is organic, mouthwateringly fresh and left as natural as possible – enhanced only by the art of cooking.

Jens Rittmeyer works with a focus on sustainability and unfailingly treats his Scandinavian-style ingredients with the utmost respect. Together with his team he creates imaginative, gently cooked dishes often featuring herbs, high-quality oils and spices, and insists on perfectly ripe ingredients, many of them organic. Restaurant Kai 3 at Budersand Hotel – Golf & Spa – on the island of Sylt is truly a place to enjoy the finer things in life.

Experience avant-garde magic moments at COLUMBIA Hotel Casino Travemünde beside the Baltic Sea. La Belle Epoque restaurant, in the conservatory of the 'conversation house' dating from 1914, is bathed in light and offers unrivalled views of the sea and the ships going to and fro. Diners can revel in the contemporary creations of Kevin Fehling, Gusto Guide's chef of the year 2012, with wines recommended by head sommelier David Eitel.

The Orangerie's heart is the open-plan, contemporary kitchen in which Michelin-starred chef Lutz Niemann and his team can be seen practising their craft. Niemann has been performing his gastronomic magic at Maritim Seehotel Timmendorfer Strand since 1990. But it's not just the food here that reaches the heights of perfection, there's also a frequently updated selection of the finest wines. On warm summer days, the Orangerie terrace is the place to dine.

At Restaurant Zum Fabelhaften Hirschen in Lübeck, owner and chef de cuisine Marc Grotkopp offers honest, fresh cooking of an exceptionally high standard. What finer finale could there be to visiting the UNESCO World Heritage city of Lübeck or the majestic Lake Schaalsee nature reserve than to savour Grotkopp's popular dishes of regional game or his forays into mediterranean and French cuisine. The new bistro also offers the opportunity to enjoy rustic and creative food in a relaxed atmosphere.

Dirk Luther, chef de cuisine of Restaurant Meierei Dirk Luther at Alter Meierhof Vitalhotel in Glücksburg, offers his own interpretation of classic French cuisine with a modern twist. In just a few years, aided by his kitchen staff and service team, he has turned Restaurant Meierei Dirk Luther into a gastronomic destination in the north of Germany.

Restaurant Morsum Kliff on Sylt is in the heart of the Morsum cliff conservation zone, the oldest in Schleswig-Holstein, a quiet, peaceful area of heathland and dunes. During the day, visitors can enjoy reasonably priced dishes and freshly baked cakes. In the evening, the bar is raised, with menus that demonstrate the art of chef de cuisine Janko Rahneberg in all its glory. Food lovers can look forward to his very refined, seasonal cuisine which fuses regional specialities with mediterranean flavours.

Guests travel to the Töpferhaus in Alt Duvenstedt from far and wide not only for the glorious location, idyllic countryside and wonderful atmosphere – many come especially for the fabulous food. Nothing but the best produce is used in the Töpferhaus kitchen, mostly from the local region and prepared with dedication. Chef de cuisine Oliver Pfahler and his ambitious team work their magic with a sure instinct, transforming top-quality ingredients into top-quality food.

The multi-award-winning Fährhaus is an elegant, Victorian-style gourmet restaurant where chef de cuisine and gastronomic host Alexandro Pape enthrals guests with exceptional, creative dishes of the highest quality. The service is unpretentious and impeccable, and there are 600 wines and sparkling wines to choose from. In the evenings, diners can enjoy the culinary magic with a view of Munkmarsch marina.

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